Fifteen patients are currently hospitalized at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula because of the flu.

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Updated: 10:47 AM PST Dec 30, 2017

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WEBVTT SIERRA: GOOD EVENING.MONTEREY COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALSARE CALLING THIS A VERY ROUGHSTART TO THE FLU SEASON.RIGHT NOW, SIXTEEN PATIENTS HAVEBEEN ADMITTED TO SALINAS VALLEYMEMORIAL HOSPITAL WITH THE FLUSALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HOSPITIS FLOODED WITH FLU PATIENTS. >> 16 PATIENTS WITH FLU WHO AREADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL ANDWE'RE SEEING AN INCREASED NUMBEOF FLU-RELATED PATIENTS IN OEMERGENCY ROOM.REPORTER: AND THEY'RE NOT THEONLY ONES.COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF THEMONTEREY PENINSULA HAS 15 FLUPATIENTS, AND NATIVIDAD MEDICALCENTER HAS 5.>> WE ARE SEEING MORE ACTIVITY.SO WE'RE SEEING MORE SICK PEOPLEMORE ADMISSION TO THE HOSPITAL,.THAT SORT OF THING.REPORTER: TYPICALLY, THIS ISWHAT DR. POUDEL WOULD EXPECT TOSEE AROUND PEAK SEASON IN LATEJANUARY AND EARLY FEBRUARY.>> THIS IS KIND OF UNEXPECTED.EARLY IN THE FLU SEASON.REPORTER: SO SALINAS VALLEYMEMORIAL IS TAKING EXTRAPRECAUTIONS ON THEIR END TO TRYAND PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THEVIRUS.THEY'VE LIMITED VISITATION HOURSAND THEY'VE PUT RESTRICTIONS ONWHO CAN VISIT.>> AND IF YOU ARE SICK, DO NOTCOME TO THE HOSPITAL TO PROTECTOUR PATIENTS AND YOURSELF -- AND YOURSELF.REPORTER: AND WHEN IT COMES TPROTECTION ON YOUR END COUNTY, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY IT'SSTILL NOT TOO LATE TO GETVACCINATED.>> EVEN THOUGH WHAT YOU'VE BEENHEARING IS THIS FLU SHOT THISYEAR IS LESS EFFECTIVE IT ISSTILL THE BEST THING YOU CAN DOTO AVOID THE FLU AND IF YOU DOGET SICK YOU WILL NOT GET ASSICK.SO YOU CAN AVOID BEING IN THEHOSPITAL POSSIBLY.IT IS WORTH IT.REPORTER: COUNTY OFFICIALS SAYIF WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS ANYINDICATION, WE ARE IN FOR A VERYLONG FLU SEASON.SO IF YOU CAN, TAKE YOUR OWNPRECAUTIONS.WASH YOUR HANDS TO AVOID ANYGERMS.CAP AT YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGHAND SNEEZE -- -- COVER YOURMOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH AND

Flu cases surge in Monterey, San Benito counties

Fifteen patients are currently hospitalized at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula because of the flu.